Search

Subscribe to this blog

Follow by Email

The Bloody Judge

17th Century England is in the grip of Satanic Panic, and amongst those seeking to rid the land of traitors to the throne and anyone 'in league with the devil’, is Judge George Jeffreys, whose unreasonable sentences and excessively violent tortures are dished out with puritanical abandon. He soon becomes obsessed with Mary, a young women whose sister he accused of witchcraft and whose lover is a rebel against King James II. When the rebels are defeated, Mary tries to save her beau by surrendering herself to the Judge’s cruel lust. Betrayal, bloody torture and murder ensue.

Believe it or not, The Bloody Judge marks the first time I’ve reviewed a Jess Franco film for this here blog. I know. For shame! Despite his insanely prolific career - spanning decades and genres alike - this humble scribbler has seen but a mere scrap of the kinky-exploitationer’s films, which, not including my recent indulgence in The Bloody Judge, includes his kitsch classic Vampyros Lesbos and his more recent not-classic, Vampire Killer Barbies; both of which I enjoyed immensely and loved for entirely different reasons. With Vampyros Lesbos Franco demonstrated his ability to conjure the most Sadean imagery imaginable, and managed to tread a fine line between trashy exploitation and kitschy art-house. Much like, say, Dario Argento, Jess Franco’s reputation precedes him, and my hopes where high for The Bloody Judge - a film boasting not only the dubious talents of Franco, but the steely gravitas of horror icon Sir Christopher Lee!

Despite this film being touted as Franco’s Sado-erotic take on Witchfinder General - which was released the previous year and spawned myriad imitators seeking to cash in on witchcraft, torture and sadism-oh my; said hopes were sadly dashed. In its attempts to be too many things, The Bloody Judge falls way short of the grandly epic sweep it so desperately strives for; while its more exploitative aspects never plunge the depths of Sadean depravity Franco is revered for - even the inclusion of scantily glad wenches being tortured by a man in a proto-gimp suit is more ‘guffaw’ than ‘ghastly.’ The somewhat stilted pacing is not helped by the uneven tone which shifts epileptically between historical epic, soft core skin-flick, and gratuitous torture romp. Too many characters are all given too little to do, and while their presence initially ups the scope of the film, it soon drags everything down into a mire of awkward plotting and haphazard narrative.

Franco’s admittedly admirable attempts to craft a serious period piece/historical drama include several well-staged battle sequences, dark political shenanigans ever-afoot and snatches of the driest humour. The Bloody Judge also boosts a budget more sizable than most Franco films, and there’s plenty of grim detail to the filthy authenticity of the period, which is handsomely evoked. Also worth mentioning is the beautiful cinematography by Franco regular Manuel Merino, and the emotive score courtesy of Behind the Couch favourite, Bruno Nicolai. Despite these positive aspects, events are too often bogged down in dusty scenes of badly dubbed dialogue that go on a little too long; and regardless of some surprisingly effective performances, none of the characters ever really garner any sympathy. Maria Rohm (who also starred in House of 1,000 Dolls and was married to producer Harry Alan Towers), is rather good as Mary Gray; the damsel in distress who seems prepared to do whatever it takes to protect her lover. Sir Christopher Lee, as usual, delivers the kind of stately performance he is now renowned for as the merciless judge.

Flaws aside, this will no doubt appeal to hardcore admirers of Franco, Lee and Rohm. Though given the chance, I think I’d just prefer to re-watch Witchfinder General and Vampyros Lesbos.The Bloody Judge was released on DVD - for the first time ever in the UK - in January, by Mediumrare Entertainment. Extras include interviews with Jess Franco and Christopher Lee, deleted scenes, stills gallery and a trailer.

Comments

Nice review, James. I'm no Franco expert either but your comments about his strengths and shortcomings would pretty much fit all the films of his that I have seen seen. His famous version of Dracula is worth checking out if you haven't already - a decent adaptation, if a bit dull at times ;-)

I highly recommend watching A Virgin Among the Living Dead (in its original French dub naturally). The budget is significantly lower than the H.A. Towers films but there is a lot of Gothic atmosphere and the story is very sad. The original title was "The Night of the Shooting Stars" but it got changed to "A Virgin Among the Living Dead" and then "Christina, Princess of Eroticism" to capitalise on the film's sex and violence (both of which it actually lacks).

Thanks so much for the recommendation, Terence. I'm familiar with the title, but have never seen Virgin. I really must try to see more of Franco's work - he seems to be one of those directors who, when he gets something right, he gets it REALLY right.

Oh, and thanks for the kind words about the new banner - I took that photo last year around Halloween - really pleased with how it came out! Glad you like it. :)

Popular posts from this blog

What if someone had discovered the knives used by Jack the Ripper? What if those cruelly glinting blades then went missing? And what if the Ripper came back into our world to once again mutilate and massacre? These are the tantalising questions that form the premise of atmospheric independent horror Razors, the first in a new series of forthcoming films set to explore the bloody exploits of one of the world’s most mysterious serial killers. It tells of enigmatic film professor Robert Wise (Thomas Thoroe) who gathers a group of young screenwriters at a sinister Victorian warehouse in the heart of London to work on the ultimate horror film. Amongst the assembled group is troubled screenwriter Ruth (Kelby Keenan) who believes she has discovered the actual knives used by Jack the Ripper. When the knives go missing and it appears the spirit of the Ripper roams free, the young screenwriters must unlock the building’s dark secrets and unravel mysteries …

Happy 20th Birthday, Scream! I can't believe you've grown up so fast. I know it’s now 2017 and you turned 20 last year, but you weren’t released in the UK until 1997 so technically it was twenty years ago this year that I saw you. Technicalities aside, I couldn’t let the occasion go by without writing a little something about you on here. I remember my dad taking me to see you at the cinema because you were rated 18 and I was only 16. I wanted so badly to see you though. I was shocked and intrigued by your teaser campaign on TV, and you starred some people who were in things I loved as a 16-year-old (Friends! Party of Five! Boys on the Side!). You were my first experience of watching a horror film in a cinema with a real live cinema audience (they were quite annoying) and I can still remember the excitement and anticipation. I was equal parts irked and enthralled when the audience reacted to you in such a vocal way. They screamed a lot. I thought you were the greatest thing e…

This year I have dedicated most of my time to researching and writing a book on The Company of Wolves for Devil’s Advocates, a series devoted to exploring the classics of horror cinema. Co-written by Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan and British novelist Angela Carter, and based on several short stories from Carter's collection The Bloody Chamber, The Company of Wolves is a darkly Gothic, boldly feminist reinvention of the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. With werewolves. Released in the early 1980s, a time which produced several classic werewolf films (including An American Werewolf in London and The Howling), The Company of Wolves sets itself apart from the pack with its overtly literary roots, feminist stance, and art-house leanings.

Throughout the book (which I am currently proofing) I’ve placed the film in the context of the careers of its creators, explored its place in werewolf cinema and its strong feminist message, and looked…